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VOLUME 97 | ISSUE 5
October 6, 2023
Virginia Senate District 27 debate highlights all sides Callie Harkins Associate Editor On Wednesday, Sept. 27., UMW hosted the District 27 Virginia State Senate debate in George Washington Hall’s Dodd Auditorium. Joel Griffin (D), Monica Gary (I) and Tara Durant (R) took the stage to discuss various issues pertaining to the district including abortion access, public school funding and the fentanyl crisis, among other topics. This debate functioned identically to the House of Delegates debate that took place on Sept. 13 in Seacobeck Hall. Each candidate had an opportunity to deliver an opening statement followed by an hour of question and answer that concluded with a closing statement. Durant, the Republican nominee, addressed the audience first. “Virginia is not just for lovers, it’s for leaders,” she said. “We need leaders who are willing to stand up and make Virginia more secure so that together we can be the best place to live, work and raise a family.” Durant defeated an incumbent Democrat in 2021 to win the Virginia House of Delegates seat that represented both Fredericksburg and Stafford. She is a former elementary school teacher and has previously served on the Board of the Fredericksburg Area Service League and PTO Board. Across the aisle, Joel Griffin, the Democratic candidate, is a Marine Corps veteran and former Chair of the Stafford County Economic Development Authority. He also sits on the Board of Directors for the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance. “As a Marine, I took an oath to protect our constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and right now, I see the rights of fellow Virginians under attack,” he said. The Virginia Senate currently has no independent members, making Monica Gary the outlier in this race. Gary sits on the Stafford Board of Supervisors and has previous experience on the Fredericksburg
|2 INSIDE News Virginia’s
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Senate District 27 debate takes place on campus
Tara Durant spoke on making Virginia more secure at the 27th district debate.
Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Board. “Real leaders do not divide the room in half,” she said. “They bring people together and they do the hard work that no one else is willing to do and stand on principles instead of narratives that hurt people and are causing our country to deteriorate.” Abortion Virginia is the sole state in the south where abortion is still legal. Durant is a proponent of a 15-week abortion ban with exceptions for rape, incest or when the mother’s life is in danger. While serving in the House of Delegates, she supported the Born Alive Infant Protection Act and currently backs Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s plans to limit abortion access. “I’ve always been very honest and transparent that I am pro-life,” said Durant. In contrast, Gary is a supporter of a pregnant person’s right to choose. She is also candid about the fact that she has had an abortion. Because of her past experience, she vowed to protect abortion and expand access to care. “It’s incredibly important that we maintain our ability to make decisions about our own bodies, there’s no one on this stage that understands that better than I do,” she said. Like Gary, Griffin affirmed that he will not tolerate attacks on access to reproduc-
Opinion | 3 FAFSA Simplification Act overlooks dependent students
Charlie Li / The Weekly Ringer
tive care—not from the governor and not from the Supreme Court. “I will ensure that a woman’s right to choose is not only protected in this session, but is enshrined in the Virginia constitution when we vote for it again in the next session,” he said. Traffic Interstate-95 runs directly through District 27 and welcomes over 150,000 vehicles daily through Fredericksburg alone, according to the Fredericksburg Department of Economic Development. A national study from 2017 concluded that Fredericksburg and its surrounding counties have the worst traffic hotspot in the country. “When I’m in Richmond, I will advocate and get passed, the Regional Transportation Authority that allows us as a community, to decide for ourselves where we want some of those funds to be spent,” said Griffin. While the candidates differ on specifics for controlling the issue, they all agree that traffic is a major problem. According to Gary, her work on the Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Board, Virginia Railway Express Policy Board and Potomac Rappahannock Transportation Commission, makes her the best equipped to handle traffic regulation in the district.
Life | 6
Artist spolight: Molding stoneware into magic
Gary supports adding a third rail line for the Virginia Railway Express to help mitigate congestion caused by freight. “What I have done is make sure that I’m investing in public transit and solutions that work,” said Gary. Durant also expressed her discontent with traffic. According to her, the focus for legislators should be on improving and updating infrastructure and promoting road construction. “I think the important part of this conversation is, what are we prioritizing? Because the truth is that radical Democrats in Virginia have made it clear that they really don’t want us to be able to drive our cars,” she said. Polarization Virginia’s 27th Senate district is one of the few in the Commonwealth that has been consistently split on political preferences. In 2021, most voters supported the Republican nominee for governor. One year later, however, the majority of voters flipped to support the Democratic candidate running for the U.S. House of Representatives. “As a Marine, I worked with people of all races, creeds, colors and religions. I didn’t ask them what the politics were,” said Griffin. “When we’re in a hole together, you’re all pointing in the same direction. When you run a small business, you don’t ask someone what their politics are, you just ask them what mission needs to be accomplished, and you work towards that. That’s what I’ll do in Richmond.” While on the campaign trail, Durant said that she sat down with constituents across the district to gauge what issues matter. “What they cared about were non-partisan issues,” said Durant. “These were the kitchen table issues, caring about education and caring about our economy and caring about keeping our community safe.” Gary, who made a point of wearing purple, is running as an independent in an effort to avoid alienating voters. “We all know that there is a lot wrong with our government and the way that we
SEE DEBATE, PAGE 2
Sports | 8
Life University beats UMW men’s rugby 40-21
News
Friday, October 6, 2023
Page 2
Weekly Ringer Candidates discuss issues in district The
Editorial Staff
FROM DEBATE, PAGE 1
do things,” she said. “I don’t think that we would disagree Editor-in-Chief about that across party lines Norah Walsh that something has to change. If weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com we keep doing what we’ve done, we’re going to continue to get Associate Editors what we’ve gotten.” Government Shutdown Callie Harkins Three days after the debate, Emma Brennan the federal government averted weeklyringer.associate@gmail.com a shutdown just hours before the deadline by passing biparNews Editor tisan legislation that temporarKy Huynh ily funds the government until weeklyringer.news@gmail.com Nov. 17. The candidates used this opportunity to express their thoughts on the situation. Opinion Editor “We should absolutely not Margaret Jackson have a shutdown,” said Gary. weeklyringer.opinion@gmail.com “My family has suffered through this before. We have had to call friends and relatives to help us Life Editor to put groceries in our refrigCharlie Li erator. So I have lived this. It’s weeklyringer.life@gmail.com unacceptable. And once again, a reason to look at how the Sports Editor parties are doing business with Sophia Tompkins each other, or failing to, in ways weeklyringer.sports@gmail.com that impact us in our everyday lives.” All of the candidates on the Online Editor debate stage agreed that a govDavy Washington ernment shutdown would be weeklyringer.online@gmail.com harmful and should not happen. “The government shutdown Photography Editor is really the last thing they need Abbey Magnet right now, but moving forward, weeklyringer.photos@gmail.com we focus in Virginia on keeping our taxes low, our spending Faculty Advisor low, so that you have more of Lindley Estes your hard earned money so that you can continue to support lestes@umw.edu yourself,” said Durant. In the event of a shutdown, Advertisement most benefits received from the Please direct all advertising Veterans Administration will inquiries to Norah Walsh at continue as normal, including weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com. medical services, pension and housing benefits, however, caCorrections reer counseling and transition Please report any corrections to Norah assistance programs will be Walsh at weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com or halted. Lindley Estes at “This district will be dislestes@umw.edu proportionately harmed by a government shutdown,” said Griffin. “We have a higher perIn the TimelyCare article from last week, the centage of veterans in this comstory states: Psychiatric help is available at a munity, and a higher percentweek’s notice. age of government contractors We would like to correct this to: Psychiatric in this community than most services are available, typically within a week, anywhere else in the Commonwith a referral from the Talley Center. wealth.” Public Education According to a government watchdog, Virginia schools are Bell tower logo designed by underfunded by approximately $1,900 less per student comBernadette D’Auria ‘22 pared to the national average. “We are severely underfund-
ed,” said Gary. “When you want something to succeed, you invest in it. We cannot continue to underfund our public education and then expect things to improve.” The Economic Policy Institute found that Virginia has the third-least competitive teacher pay in the country. All of the candidates concurred that Virginia schools require greater funding in order to remain functional. “When I’m the next state senator, I will advocate and pass code which allows for a significant salary increase for teachers, but also creates funding for mental health resources, school counselors, resource officers, paraprofessionals and any other teachers that we can get into the classrooms,” said Griffin. A point of contention, however, is the politicization of public education. Parental rights have been a talking point on both the national and local level. Book bans and critical race theory—referred to as CRT— have come to the forefront of discussions regarding education, as noted by Durant. “Instead of talking about the ‘ABCs,’ we’re talking about CRT,” she said. Fentanyl Crisis Earlier this year, Governor Youngkin signed into law a bill that reclassifies fentanyl as a “weapon of terrorism” in response to an influx of deaths relating to the drug. “I think all three of us here on this stage are in agreement about the need to treat those who are suffering from addiction,” said Durant. Durant’s statement rang true as all three of the candidates found common ground on the topic. “Fentanyl is a real crisis in our community; it’s something that we have to address,” said Griffin. “I would absolutely work with our local elected officials to address the needs for their location, the needs for their citizens.” Gary believes in ending the stigma surrounding drug addiction in order to best support those affected by it. “We need to stop treating people who have addictions and are seeking treatment like they’re less than,” she said.
Monica Gary spoke about unfair tip wages at the 27th district debate. Charlie Li / The Weekly Ringer
Affordability According to the Economic Research Institute, the cost of living in Fredericksburg is higher than that of the national average. “They need to stop giving tax breaks to large corporations while people down here, the rest of us, are trying to figure out how to get by,” said Gary. “It’s becoming harder and harder to fill up gas tanks and to feed our children and their schools are not what they should be.” Gary also spoke about unfair tip wages. The minimum cash wage for tipped employees in Virginia is $2.13, according to the United States Department of Labor. Griffin agreed that the minimum wage for these employees should be raised. “We also need to make sure that our workers are treated fairly, we need to make sure that the minimum wage is something that is not just going to help people get by, but we need to be addressing workforce housing,” he said. “We need to allow people to have expanded access to medical care, we need to make sure that people can have the opportunity to work from home.” Regarding affordability in the district, Durant pointed towards lowering taxes and bringing high-paying jobs to the Commonwealth. “It is essential that we keep our taxes low, our spending low so that people have more of their hard earned money to support themselves and to make our economy secure,” she said. Closing Statements The debate lasted over an hour and 20 minutes, and the candidates were asked a series of 12 questions. In his closing
statement, Griffin focused on his main policy issues and identity as a veteran and business owner. “I appreciate the opportunity to have a spirited debate on the issues. And I hope that it’s clear tonight that there is absolutely a contrast between my opponents and myself,” said Griffin. “I’m not a politician, I’m a veteran, I’m a small business owner. I’m running to protect abortion rights, defend our public schools and continue our economic growth in the region.” In her closing statement, Gary reiterated her relatability and willingness to work for every constituent, regardless of political affiliation. “My life is similar to most people; I am not disconnected. I reap the repercussions of my decisions,” she said. “All my children are in public schools. I’ll continue to do the things that I say, I won’t act one way and tell you something else, like you see up here.” Durant reaffirmed her support of law enforcement and parental rights. She also emphasized her goal of making Virginia secure across multiple aspects. “Together, I know that we can do this; we can make Virginia more secure. We cannot have just those who are lovers, we need leaders, we need people who are willing to stand up and fight for these values,” she said. Early voting in Virginia began on Sept. 22, five days before the debate, and will end Nov. 4. Election day this year will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 7, and polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Same day registration begins Oct. 17 and will remain open until polls close.
Friday, October 6, 2023
Opinion
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FAFSA Simplification Act fails to consider financial aid options for dependent students who pay their own tuition norah walsh Editor-in-Chief As I am nearing the end of my undergraduate career at UMW, I’ve had a long, tumultuous relationship with the FAFSA, as every fall I had to get together with my mother to sort through tax documents and fill out the application, which was hard even for us—two native English speakers—to understand. Furthermore, even though I want to go to graduate school in the future, I am not applying for the FAFSA this year because it doesn’t count students as independents until Jan. 1 of the year they turn 24. As my mother’s salary has increased every year since I filled out the application for the first time in 2019 for the 2020–2021 academic year, my expected family income has also increased, which influences how much federal aid I can receive. This is an issue, however, because my parents don’t pay for my tuition, and I’ve been financially independent since I came to college. As a result, though my expected family income may reflect a certain salary, it doesn’t paint an accurate image of my own personal financial situation. Devin Schwers, a senior political science major, is in the same boat, as his parent’s salary is considered on his FAFSA, but he pays UMW’s tuition himself. “My FAFSA does consider that I’m a dependent of my parents, which is actually kind of inconvenient for me based on my parent’s income,” he said. In reference to how the FAFSA considers the expected family income, he said, “They have a sort of assumed amount for what they’re contributing to my tuition, however they’re not contributing anything towards my tuition, so I end up getting a really low amount of financial aid from FAFSA.” On Oct. 1, Amy Jessee, the executive director of university communications, sent out an email to the student body that relayed information about scholarships for study abroad programs whose deadline is Nov. 15, the email informed the addressees that the FAFSA would
open in December rather than Oct. 1, two months later than usual. To account for this, the priority deadline was also extended to March 1, 2024. The delay was caused by the need to finalize further revisions of the FAFSA Simplification Act—referred to as FSA—and I hoped that the dilemma that I, as well as many other students like Schwers, experience might be solved, as the last phase of the Act, which will influence the 2024-2025 academic year, enacts several changes in policies and procedures meant to increase accessibility to student aid. However, that was not the case, for the Simplification Act preserved the Higher Education Act’s definition of an independent, which is “a student is determined to be independent if the student meets any of a list of criteria, including (but not limited to) being 24 years of age on January 1 of the award year, being married, having dependents, or being a veteran of the Armed Forces.” If students do not meet these requirements, they are required to include their parental information unless their situation is defined as being an unusual or special circumstance as long as they’re under 24 years old, as they’re still considered dependents until then. According to the FSA, an “unusual circumstance” is when the “student is unable to contact a parent or where contact with parents poses a risk to such student,” as well as in cases of “human trafficking, legally granted abandonment or estrangement, or student or parental incarceration.” These considerations are massively important, but being able to receive aid should not be limited to having suffered through these conditions or require that students have proof of parental abandonment or estrangement, as the latter circumstance is not always associated with tangible documentation, even though it may be the student’s reality. Additionally, a student should not be penalized as a result of their parent’s inability or refusal to pay their child’s tuition. For students like Schwers who pay their own tuition even though their parent’s income is required on the
The Financial Aid Office provides information and about grants, scholarships and the FAFSA.
Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer
FAFSA, loans and scholarships are the only chance to receive any assistance. “My parents do not pay for my tuition; I’m entirely self-funded on student loans,” said Schwers. “My first year I used Discover and now I’m on Sallie Mae loans.” In the case of less dire experiences that leave students desiring independent status, students can claim special circumstances, which are defined as “financial situations (loss of a job, etc.),” according to the Federal Aid website. The main issue that remains, even with these new amendments, is the vagueness with which “special circumstances,” as well as other terms, are defined. This means that students are subject to professional judgment of their circumstances without much knowledge of whether or not their circumstances would qualify, and that’s only if they commit to this process of explaining and justifying their situation to a financial aid administrator. To advocate for this special circumstance to justify an independent student status, students must submit additional documentation, such as “a documented interview between the student and the financial aid administrator” or “supplementary information as necessary about the financial status or personal circumstances of eligible applicants as it relates to the special circumstances,” according to the Federal Student Aid website. As was the case when I went through this process, the Federal Student Aid website explains, “Institutions must make and document professional judgment determinations on a case-by-case basis without regard to how broadly an event may affect its student population.” According to UMW’s Financial Aid website, the requests for special circumstance consideration apply in the case of a change in household size, which pertains to marriage, divorce, or the number of dependents that should be considered on the FAFSA, a change in income due to external factors and unusual medical expenses. An additional struggle with the FAFSA is the element of time. According to the Federal Student Aid website, the process of review should be completed “as quickly as practicable, but no later than 60 days after the student enrolls.” This means that a student could enroll in the university of their choice without the knowledge of how much aid they’re going to receive. Furthermore, for students who cannot afford tuition, they have to find alternative routes of paying their tuition without any knowledge of their aid status. So, because institutions are given the responsibility of this review, in cases where the University of Mary Washington does not consider special circumstances, such as voluntary job loss, taking out money from a retirement fund or other types of lost income, students are left at the mercy of the institution to decide what aid they will receive. This also pertains to students who have to include their parent’s income but don’t receive financial assistance from them. So, while change is afoot with the FAFSA, there are still so many barriers that stand in the way of receiving financial aid for students who are deemed dependents on their FAFSA, even though their parents aren’t footing the bill. This element, on top of the element of vagueness, contributes to the complications that come with applying for federal aid, which makes financial assistance all the more difficult to receive.
Friday, October 6, 2023
Life
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Crafting creative and meaningful pieces: A visual journey with ceramics artist Ellianna Bowman
Ellianna Bowman built and stretched her first canvas in March of last year.
@ebowmanart / Instagram
amanda sheward Staff Writer Ellianna Bowman, a senior studio art major from Richmond, Va., is a ceramics artist, as she primarily works with clay. Her artwork, inspired by the practices she learns through her contemplative studies minor, is more expressive than anything else, and, when she creates a piece, she tries
Bowman’s stoneware is fired up to around 2200°F.
@ebowmanart / Instagram
to have a quiet mind so that her process can be relaxed and instinctive. Molded by this method, her final artwork is unique and features both abstract and organic shapes. Her favorite type of clay is stoneware because it’s sturdy and can hold its own shape. In describing her pieces Bowman said, “It is important to my practice that I am creating functional objects, but I don’t necessarily want them to look like they are functional.” While Bowman’s pieces are not quite functional, they do serve a purpose, as she wants others to take a minute and find calm while they look at them. “All I ask of my work is that it might inspire someone to slow down and look at it,” Bowman said about her work. “I think we all go too fast, everything is too intense. Slowing down and appreciating the way a line curves or the texture of a surface is so important and grounding. If my work can offer someone a moment of calm or inspire a bit of curiosity, then I am satisfied with my contribution.” Bowman hopes that someone can take a second out of their day to look at her artwork amidst the busyness of their lives, and she creates with contemplative practices in mind both in making the work and in thinking about what it will elicit in the viewer. Sarah Yowell, a senior studio art major emphasized that Bowman’s artwork—especially her ceramic pieces—feels like it’s coming to life. “Her artwork, particularly her ceramics, has a very organic, almost human-like feel to it. I love her use of positive and negative space, and she does a fantastic job at making the objects interact with each other,” said Yowell.
“Her artwork, particularly her ceramics, has a very organic, almost human-like feel to it. I love her use of positive and negative space, and she does a fantastic job at making the objects interact with each other.” - Sarah Yowell When Bowman is not making art, she doesn’t feel like herself. As she goes about her day, she observes the different compositions that make up her surroundings, which inspires her to make art based on the idea. She also finds alternative manners of expression through her artwork; if she doesn’t know how to respond to what she is feeling, she creates something with a message that words can’t express. Bowman’s senior thesis is about her relationship with her body as an artist and dancer. From left to right: Efaceé, En dedans and Épaulment. @ebowmanart / Instagram
SEE ARTIST PROFILE, PAGE 6
Friday, October 6, 2023
Life
Page 5
Jess Q. Sutanto captivates readers by blending murder, comedy and mystery into a masterpiece
“Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers” is available on Amazon both physically and digitally.
Kelly Hernley / The Weekly Ringer
Kelly HERNLEY Staff Writer If you’re looking for your next favorite book, a cozy murder mystery that combines humor, culture and friendship may be just what you need. Jesse Q. Sutanto’s “Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers” follows Vera, an older Chinese woman who runs a struggling tea shop in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Vera follows the same routine every day: waking up at 4:30 a.m., going on her morning walk, opening her shop to relatively few customers, contacting her son to provide motherly advice and going to sleep promptly at 8:30 p.m. But when she discovers a dead man lying on the floor of her shop, Vera takes charge of investigating his death because she believes that she can solve the case better than the detectives assigned to the case. Throughout the investigation, Vera becomes acquaintances and, later, friends with the victim’s widow and daughter, along with other suspects. She suspects them because they returned to the scene of the crime, which she considers is an expression of guilt. Vera engages with each of the characters, keeping a written record about what she knows about each of them in her notebook. The story alternates between perspectives, as each chapter is from a different character’s viewpoint. As the story progresses and Vera learns more about her suspects, she is able to add information and cross suspects off her list. I picked up this book over the summer at my local library, and I was so glad I did. It was published in March of this year, and it has quickly gained in popularity since then, with over 42,000 ratings on Goodreads and an average rating of 4.06 stars. This book is full of humor and heart, which makes it the perfect read if you need an escape from reality. Between trying to figure out who the murderer was, Vera’s personality, and the humor spread throughout, I couldn’t
Jesse Q. Sutanto is well known for her novel, “Dial A for Aunties,” which was awarded the 2021 Comedy Women in Print Prize in the UK. @jesseqsutanto / Instagram
put this book down. But, the book is not all murder and mystery, as its humorous parts often made me laugh out loud. A particular part in the story that I found funny was after Vera had dis-
covered the dead man on the floor of her tea shop. Before she called the police, Vera took it upon herself to outline the man’s body in Sharpie, which the police officers did not find amusing. At another point, the officers made the mistake of telling Vera that they thought the man had overdosed, but Vera insists that the man was murdered because he had “bad vibes.” I also loved that Sutanto was able to include Chinese culture throughout the book, a lot of it through the tea and food that Vera prepared. Sutanto is Chinese and Indonesian, so the culture in the book comes from her own experience. Throughout the story, Vera prepared many Chinese dishes, such as black pepper beef, spicy garlic tofu and braised pork belly. The book also mentions the Chinese zodiac, as Vera is described as being a pig when she should have been a rooster. Vera’s character is also largely based off of Sutanto’s mother, and Sutanto dedicated the book to her mother, calling her the “OG Vera.” By the end, I was more interested in the relationships that were formed over the course of the story than in the murderer and their motives, which created a sense of coziness in the book. That is not to say that the mystery itself was not interesting; I just felt that the characters and their relationships, along with the humor sprinkled throughout, was what made this book stand out. Vera’s character and personality make her extremely likable. She’s also sassy and nosy, and she still keeps up with social media in an attempt to keep tabs on her son, making her the perfect person to conduct a murder investigation. Furthermore, Vera forms relationships with all of her suspects throughout the book, and she even becomes a motherly and grandmotherly figure to the victim’s widow and daughter, respectively. Vera’s spunky personality will make you wish that you were friends with her, especially to enjoy her tea and cooking. The next time you find yourself with time to spare between classes or just want to escape reality with a good book, make sure to give “Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers” a try. You just may discover your new favorite book.
Friday, October 6, 2023
Life
Page 6
Artist spotlight: Molding magic with ceramic artistry
FROM ARTIST PROFILE, PAGE 4
Jessie Mills, a senior biomedical sciences major and friend of Bowman’s, also performs with her in UMW’s Performing Arts Company. “I think her art, specifically her stoneware pieces, are so unique because she uses a lot of organic shapes and colors that are different from what you see in most stoneware,” said Mills. “The pieces she makes contain a lot of natural curves which catch your eye and are visually interesting.” Mills also noted that Bowman’s work is unique because she works with stoneware, manipulating it in a variety of ways. “She really seems to play with a lot of unorthodox techniques when forming her stoneware pieces,” Mills said.
“A lot of my recent work has been influenced by time outdoors and in the dance studio,” - Ellianna Bowman Bowman also finds inspiration in her other personal interests, as she is a dancer as well as a ceramicist. “A lot of my recent work has been influenced by time outdoors and in the dance studio,” Bowman said. “I think a lot about
the lines and forms that I see in those spaces and the way that they make me feel.” Bowman derives her inspiration from places and objects, but she also gets it from other creatives. “I am inspired by a lot of female artists like Ana Mendieta and dancers like Martha Graham,” she said. Another influential person who inspires her is her mother, Tami Bowman—a textile artist who has a background in ceramics. Whenever Bowman has a problem with her medium or design, she asks her. Bowman only considers a couple of her pieces as being truly successful, as she has high standards and expectations for her art. According to Bowman, she likes the recognition, but the main thing she focuses on is her standards and whether the final product is what she imagined it to be. “Craftsmanship is really important to me and I am still learning so much about my medium,” she said. “I think it is also about how much I feel that the final product is expressing what I intended it to. The awards and recognition feel good, but I care more about my own standards.” Once she graduates in December, Bowman plans on volunteering at the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts in Richmond, as well as doing an internship. During her time after UMW, she hopes to expand her artistic abilities and is looking forward to continuing to learn
and grow as an artist. Additionally, she would like to pursue a master’s degree in fine arts, focusing on ceramics, to teach at the college level. Ellianna Bowman is a talented artist whose study of contemplative practices informs her artistic skill. Not only is her
art a peaceful outlet for her, but she also creates to inspire others to take part in slowing down and reflecting on their world through her creations. To engage in the contemplative nature of her art, it is available to view on her Instagram account, @ebowmanart.
A ‘fulgurite’ pitcher and cup stoneware Bowman made back in April of this year. @ebowmanart / Instagram
Friday, October 6, 2023
Crime Column Ky Huynh News Editor The Crime Column is based on UMW Police reports from Sept. 23-Oct. 4.
Date Rape On Sept. 27, there was a case of date rape. This case is pending.
Marijuana Possession On Sept. 29 at 6:10 a.m., there was a case of marijuana possesion at Jefferson Hall. This case was sent to OSCAR.
Trespassing Notice Served On Oct. 2 at 5:29 a.m., there was a case of trespassing notice served at Simpson Library. This case is on file.
News
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The guide to the academic calendar Eliana ramirez Staff Writer In November 2022, UMW considered introducing a J-term into the calendar, which is a three-week optional course during the month of January for students to help fulfill requirements for graduation or just take a course that they enjoy. A J-term would help build credit beyond the fall and spring semesters, increase revenue for UMW’s fiscal health and give students two extra weeks during winter break, which would increase holiday work opportunities. While a J-term offered a chance for students to have a longer break to work or take classes during the J-term, a lack of student response and concrete faculty support led to a tabling of the discussion, so the next chance to have a J-term will be during the 2025–2026 academic year. On Nov. 14, 2022, the University Faculty Council sent a survey asking faculty if they had an interest in UMW implementing a J-term. The survey had to be completed by Nov. 22, 2023. A similar email was sent to 1,000 randomly chosen students in November 2022, and only 152 of these surveys were completed. The survey was in multiple choice form that allowed students to choose which option was best for them based on the choices given. The results for both surveys showed that those who responded had serious concerns about impacts on spring and summer semester schedules. Also, the school would be affected because the semester would be too condensed since this was a problem with the J-term that took place in 2021. The semester seemed longer in 2021 because the J-term shifted the semester forward, causing the spring semester to go into May. The spring semester is already packed tightly compared to the fall semester; therefore, the J-term would add more work for offices such as student health, financial aid and student accounts. The University Faculty Council reviewed the responses to determine whether UMW has faculty support for the J-term, as they didn’t want to implement a J-term until faculty support was affirmed. Ultimately, the faculty decided to push the discussion to a later date. “The faculty voted to table the discussion at the general faculty meeting in April 2023,” said Rachel Graefe-Anderson, the University Faculty Council chair. At that point, the calendar had already been set for the year. “The J-term could not have start-
ed this year because the university requires that the academic calendar be approved in advance,” said Graefe-Anderson. However, the faculty support was not obtained so there will not be a J-term implemented in 2024-2025. There are so many rules about creating the academic calendar, and it is sometimes confusing to understand it. “Changing how this calendar appears and runs is up for consideration,” said Schleef. “The calendar may not look like this forever.” In fact, the 2023-2024 academic calendar may look different from previous years at UMW because it is based on a five-year calendar that changes the start date of classes. “The later start to spring 2024 classes is a result of the way the calendar turns over from year-to-year,” said Provost Tim O’Donnell. UMW’s Office of Institutional Analysis and Effectiveness is responsible for setting the calendar and updating it when necessary. The current year, like all prior and future years, is based on a rather simple rule. According to Debra Schleef, the associate provost of OIAE, this rule dictates that the fall semester starts between Aug. 22 and 28—no earlier and no later. This principle determines the calendar for the rest of the academic year. Every year, the fall semester starts a day earlier except for when that day is Monday, Aug. 21, in which case the calendar is pushed forward to the following week. “The fall of 2022 started on August 22, which would mean that this year that Monday fell on the 21st, so it had to cycle around again; the fall of 2023 started on the 28th,” said Schleef. The spring semester operates in a similar way, as UMW’s spring break can start in February or March, de-
pending on how the calendar started in the fall. As for graduation, the earliest the commencement ceremony can take place is May 6 and the latest is May 12. For this reason, some years, UMW’s graduates will don their caps and gowns on the first Saturday in May, while other years the ceremony will land on the second Saturday of the month. Although the spring semester has ended in April the last few years, it will end in May this coming year. “The 2023-2024 calendar ends in May because the academic year started the latest it possibly could – August 28th,” said Schleef. “At least half of the years in a seven year period, the spring semester exam week ends during May.” While it might seem that the school year starts at some random date in the month of August, there is an explanation for the alternating schedule, and this dictates the rest of the school calendar. Sometimes, academic years will overlap with each other. For instance, in 2017, 2023 and 2028 — that is, about every five years — UMW’s fall semester starts on Aug. 28. Some might think that this occurrence would happen every seven years, but leap days in 2016, 2020, 2024 and 2028 have to be accounted for. The online academic calendar on UMW’s website only allows students to look at the next two years. This can be difficult for people who want to plan graduation or vacation time in advance. However, graduation dates are available now through 2026 and can be found on the UMW website. “The five year academic calendar has not been made available for students and parents but making more years available is up for consideration,” said Schleef.
George Washington Hall houses many offices, such as the Office of Institutional Analysis and Effectiveness. Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer
Sports
Friday, October 6, 2023
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UMW men’s rugby puts up fight against Life MEL LAMM Staff Writer On Saturday, Sept. 30, UMW’s men’s rugby team put up a fight against Life University on the Battlefield, but it wasn’t enough to take home the victory. As Life University has been one of the top five Division I-ranked schools for the past 10 years, this game tested the Eagles’ skills to see where they needed to improve. With it being their third game into the season and their first loss, the Eagles still have the chance to bounce back stronger. “I believe our team performed well under the circumstances we were given,” said Nicholas Ball, a junior with an undeclared major who is the captain of the men’s rugby team. “We had a very focused week of preparation for this game knowing we were in for a tough battle against a well drilled side. If this game was based on statistics, Life should have beaten us by a much bigger score line, but our players showed so much heart to keep fighting and keep us in the game.” The Eagles started the game strong, and even though the first half of the game consisted of tactical strategies through which UMW’s rugby team attempted to hold their opponents, Life University was able to score within the first 15 minutes of the match. Even when down, UMW’s offensive players remained unstoppable and drove through their aggressive opponents. Life was then cited with multiple penalties, which allowed UMW to slot a kick setting the score to 7–3. When the teams broke off the pitch for halftime, the score was 21–3, with Life in the lead. Even though they gave it their all during the game, certain factors worked against the Eagles’ favor, such as underlying injuries. “I’ve been struggling with an ankle injury for the past couple months, so this obviously affected my performance,” said Ball. “In the 60th minute of the game I was tackled while diving to score a try and had my ankle
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Men’s Soccer (9-1)
Action shot of the men’s rugby team in the middle of a match.
twisted in a tackle forcing me to come off the field.” Mary Wash came together in an attempt to stop Life from a try in the second half, however, they were not successful in this, ultimately allowing the opposing team to score. There are some aspects to the game that cannot be witnessed from the stands, and this game showed a great example of that, as the energy on the field felt off, even from the crowd’s perspective. “Referee management is a key part of rugby,” said Ball. “I believe our team did not do this well after a few interesting decisions from the referee. If these calls had gone our way, I truly believe this would have been a much closer game as it affected our momentum severely.” Coach Charbel Medlej kept halftime simple with a motivational talk focusing on a strong offense and spreading out throughout the field. Toward the end of the game, some
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players were put on the pitch in an attempt to reinvigorate the team’s dynamic. “I came on as a finishing player,” said sophomore and business administration major Andrew Rudisill. “My job is to come in fresh and make an impact in the game. I intercepted a pass and got the ball back in our team’s hand and that set us up to drive down the field and score. This really motivated me to fully switch on the play as hard as I could for my teammates and win them opportunities to do their job.” “To be honest, we are our own worst enemy, it just comes down to execution,” said senior communication and digital studies major Danny Bullock. “All it comes down to is timing and execution. Once we get that down, our team will be unstoppable.” The game’s final score was 40–21 with the victory for Life University, but this is only the start of the season. With two wins and only one loss so far, there are many more opportunities for victories to come. The Eagles step back onto the pitch once again this Saturday, Oct. 7, when they face off against Mount St. Mary’s at 1 p.m.
Oct. 4 vs. York (Pa.) (6-0) Oct. 7 vs Lynchburg Oct. 10 vs. Gettysburg Oct. 14 vs. Chris. Newport Oct. 15 vs. St. Mary’s (Md.) Oct. 21 vs. Salisbury
Women’s Soccer (5-4-1) Oct. 7 vs. Chris. Newport Oct. 11 vs. St. Mary’s (Md.) Oct. 14 vs. Chris. Newport Oct. 21 vs. Salisbury Oct. 24 vs. Catholic
Men’s Rugby (2-1)
Oct. 7 vs. Mount St. Mary’s Oct. 21 vs. Penn State University Oct. 28 vs. St. Bonaventure
Women’s Rugby (1-1)
Oct. 7 vs. William and Mary Oct. 21 vs American Oct. 22 vs. Maryland
Field Hockey (7-4)
Oct. 4 vs. Catholic (0-2) Oct. 7 vs Rhodes Oct. 9 vs. St. Mary’s (Md.) Oct. 14 vs. Salisbury Oct. 16 vs. Denison Oct. 21 vs. Centre
Women’s Volleyball (13-1)
Oct. 7 vs. Colorado Col. Oct. 7 vs. UC Santa Cruz Oct. 8 vs. UC Santa Cruz Oct. 11 vs. Marymount (Va.) Oct. 14 vs. St. Lawrence
Games are available to watch via livestream on the UMW Athletics webpage Full schedule not listed above. Most recent games included. Bold indicates home game. Members of UMW”s men’s rugby team embrace on the field.
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